Marcia Jones Snow (b. 1943), of Melbourne, Australia, served as a Physical Therapist in the Army Medical Specialist Corps from 1965-1972 and the Army Reserve from 1977-1981.Marcia Jones Snow was born 26 June 1943 in Melbourne, Australia. Because of her father's service with the United States Navy, Snow had the opportunity to live in California, Guam, Kansas, and Italy, before her family settled in Kinston, North Carolina when she was twelve years old. In 1961, Snow began attending Women's College in Greensboro, North Carolina [now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro], where she majored in physical education.After graduation, Snow applied for and received a position with Army Special Services, but soon decided to commission into the Army Medical Specialist Corps in their physical therapy program. In 1965, she began basic training at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, and completed clinical work at nearby Brooke Army Medical Center. As the conflict in Vietnam began to intensify and more personnel were needed, Snow's practicum was cut short and she was given permanent orders to Fort Benning, Georgia. She worked as a physical therapist there for about a year, doing mostly orthopedic work, before receiving orders to Camp Zama, Japan, in 1967.In Japan, Snow treated South Vietnamese evacuees, getting them well enough to return to Vietnam, or in more serious cases, stabilizing them so they could be sent to the United States for treatment. She also worked with evacuees from the Tet Offensive in early 1968. After a year and a half in Japan, Snow requested an Intra-Theater Transfer (ITT) to Vietnam.In 1969, Snow was assigned as the single physical therapist at the 71st Medevac Hospital of Pleiku. She had the opportunity to participate in a Medical Civil Action Program (MEDCAP) at a leprosarium, as well as in the Montagnard villages in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. When Snow had three months left to her deployment, she was transferred to Qui Nh?n, Vietnam.After returning to the U.S in 1970, Snow was assigned to Fort Ord, California. In 1972, with less need for physical therapists, the army began Reduction in Force actions and Snow left the military. She worked as a civilian physical therapist for a number of years, before deciding to return to active duty in 1977. Snow received orders to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where she worked as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) in the physical therapy clinic, assisting with musculoskeletal evaluations. In 1977 or 1978, Snow participated in the Return of Forces to Germany (Reforger) exercise, as the first female physical therapist to assist in the field.In 1981, Snow left active service, but continued with the United States Army Reserve until retiring in 1981.
